IDF troops will remain in the newly created Syrian buffer zone indefinitely, Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday.
His statement, during a meeting with IDF senior officers on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, was the most explicit one so far in terms of the length of time the IDF might remain in Syrian territory, given the perceived risks from the new regime run by Abu Mohammed al-Julani of Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Julani has said he is now more Western-oriented and would not threaten Israel. But many Israeli officials do not trust him because of his past connections to al-Qaeda.
While in the buffer zone, Katz said Israel would “not be dependent on others for our defense – whether here or in any other place.”
The IDF would prevent hostile forces from approaching the Syrian Hermon, southern Syria, and the Suwayda-Damascus area, he said.
Israel would build relations with the local Druze population, he added.
Netanyahu's previous remarks
Prior to Katz’s statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said the IDF might remain in the buffer zone throughout 2025, and IDF officers had said they expected soldiers to be there for at least several months. Until now, no one had gone as far as Katz to suggest an indefinite holding of Syrian territory.
Such a position could face issues as the West. On Monday, the European Union removed many sanctions from Syria in an effort to improve their relations.